Friday, November 21, 2014

GLENDALE — The Republic of Armenia has awarded Assemblymember Mike
Gatto (D-Los Angeles) the Mkhitar Gosh Medal in recognition of his
contributions to strengthening U.S.-Armenia relations and many years of
dedicated service on behalf of the Armenian-American community. The
President of Armenia, Serzh Sarkisian, announced the award, which is
named in honor of the noted twelfth century Armenian clergyman, writer,
and codifier of the Armenian civil and canon laws...

“...Pursuant to paragraph 16, article 55 of the Constitution of the
Republic of Armenia, and guided by the Law of the Republic of Armenia on
State Awards, I hereby decree: To award Mike Gatto, California State
Assemblymember, the Mkhitar Gosh Medal for his contribution in
strengthening and developing the Armenia-U.S. friendly relations and
many years of dedication to Armenian issues.” said President Sarkisian.

Assemblyman Gatto has been a tireless advocate for Armenian issues
such as the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which resulted in the
death of more than 1,500,000 ethnic Armenians at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire. He has authored or co-authored ten different bills
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, requesting proper inclusion of the
genocide in high school-history curriculum, and calling on the Congress
and the President of the United States to do the same. Among them is AB
173 (2011), which allows the families of victims of the Armenian
Genocide to file claims in California on insurance policies issued
during the genocide, helping Armenian Americans achieve justice for
their relatives.

This year, Gatto took bold action on behalf of the ethnically
Armenian people of Artsakh, a region in the Southern Caucasus that was
illegally severed from Armenia and placed under Soviet-Azerbaijani
control in 1921. Seventy years later, the people of Artsakh held
democratic elections and formally declared independence as the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Assemblyman Mike Gatto authored AJR 32, which
made California the most populous entity in the world to recognize the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and called upon the United States government
to do the same. After successfully passing the State legislature, AJR 32
was transmitted to Congress and President Obama.

“It is a privilege to advocate on behalf of the U.S.-Armenia
relationship and to work so closely with leaders in the
Armenian-American community. I have always believed that all people have
the right to safety and self-determination. These rights must be
protected, and the legacy of those killed in the centuries-old
oppression of Armenian peoples must not be forgotten.”

To read this article and explore other important Armenian issues and causes click HERE